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| Farmers announce 'action plan' over milk prices | Farmers announce 'action plan' over milk prices |
| (6 months later) | |
| Farming unions from across the UK have developed an action plan following an "urgent summit" to discuss milk prices. | Farming unions from across the UK have developed an action plan following an "urgent summit" to discuss milk prices. |
| The plan includes calls for labels to indicate British products and long-term contracts for farmers. | The plan includes calls for labels to indicate British products and long-term contracts for farmers. |
| Some farmers are experiencing a "crisis" after being paid less for their milk than the cost of production, the National Farmers' Union has said. | Some farmers are experiencing a "crisis" after being paid less for their milk than the cost of production, the National Farmers' Union has said. |
| Protests have included removing large quantities of milk from shops and blockading distribution centres. | Protests have included removing large quantities of milk from shops and blockading distribution centres. |
| 'Dire situation' | 'Dire situation' |
| Supermarket chain Morrisons will meet farming industry leaders on Tuesday to discuss the price row. | Supermarket chain Morrisons will meet farming industry leaders on Tuesday to discuss the price row. |
| It will include the UK's four main farming unions - the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers' Union - all of whom were involved in Monday's meeting. | It will include the UK's four main farming unions - the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers' Union - all of whom were involved in Monday's meeting. |
| The NFU said the new action plan included calls for: | The NFU said the new action plan included calls for: |
| Farmers from Wales also joined the summit to discuss the price they get for lamb, which they say has reached a critically low level. | Farmers from Wales also joined the summit to discuss the price they get for lamb, which they say has reached a critically low level. |
| David Handley, from Farmers for Action, said the plan would be "driven home within days" and a letter sent to retailers. | David Handley, from Farmers for Action, said the plan would be "driven home within days" and a letter sent to retailers. |
| "Our members... need one thing at the moment, and that is money. Because if we don't get money going into the winter, this industry is going to be in a very, very dire situation indeed." | "Our members... need one thing at the moment, and that is money. Because if we don't get money going into the winter, this industry is going to be in a very, very dire situation indeed." |
| He added "peaceful protest has worked" and would continue until a solution was found. | He added "peaceful protest has worked" and would continue until a solution was found. |
| NFU president Meurig Raymond said: "Obviously the industry is in crisis... I've been farming for 45 years and this is the worst I've known." | NFU president Meurig Raymond said: "Obviously the industry is in crisis... I've been farming for 45 years and this is the worst I've known." |
| On Sunday, two cows were taken down the aisles of a supermarket in Staffordshire as part of a protest by about 70 farmers. | On Sunday, two cows were taken down the aisles of a supermarket in Staffordshire as part of a protest by about 70 farmers. |
| Protesters have also been clearing supermarkets' shelves of milk in the so-called "milk trolley challenge". | Protesters have also been clearing supermarkets' shelves of milk in the so-called "milk trolley challenge". |
| Arla, Britain's biggest milk co-operative, previously announced a price cut of 0.8p per litre - taking the standard litre price to 23.01p for its UK members. | Arla, Britain's biggest milk co-operative, previously announced a price cut of 0.8p per litre - taking the standard litre price to 23.01p for its UK members. |
| British dairy organisation AHDB Dairy said the average UK farm gate price was 24.06p per litre in May, a decrease of a quarter over 12 months. | British dairy organisation AHDB Dairy said the average UK farm gate price was 24.06p per litre in May, a decrease of a quarter over 12 months. |
| Farmers estimate it costs 30-32p to produce each litre of milk. | Farmers estimate it costs 30-32p to produce each litre of milk. |
| Case study | Case study |
| By Claire Marshall, BBC News | By Claire Marshall, BBC News |
| Geoff Bowles runs Ivy House Farm in Somerset, and his is one way to beat the dairy crisis - cut out the middle-men. | Geoff Bowles runs Ivy House Farm in Somerset, and his is one way to beat the dairy crisis - cut out the middle-men. |
| His herd of 120 Jersey cows produce around 600,000 litres of milk a year. He processes on site and sells the liquid milk, butter and cream directly to shops - 70% locally, 30% in London. | His herd of 120 Jersey cows produce around 600,000 litres of milk a year. He processes on site and sells the liquid milk, butter and cream directly to shops - 70% locally, 30% in London. |
| His produce is twice as expensive as the supermarkets - but he can't keep pace with demand and turnover is up year on year. Mr Bowles has helped more than a dozen farms to adopt his business model. | His produce is twice as expensive as the supermarkets - but he can't keep pace with demand and turnover is up year on year. Mr Bowles has helped more than a dozen farms to adopt his business model. |
| What's the downside? A lot more work, he says, because there is much more regulation and inspection. However, the workers on his dairy farm are smiling more than most - their future seems secure. | What's the downside? A lot more work, he says, because there is much more regulation and inspection. However, the workers on his dairy farm are smiling more than most - their future seems secure. |
| Patrick Holden, who is a farmer and founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, appealed to the industry to introduce a new labelling system. | Patrick Holden, who is a farmer and founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, appealed to the industry to introduce a new labelling system. |
| He said: "There is only one way out of this in my opinion and that is if consumers have the chance to identify milk which is produced to a fair price and a fair treatment for the animals on the supermarket shelves." | He said: "There is only one way out of this in my opinion and that is if consumers have the chance to identify milk which is produced to a fair price and a fair treatment for the animals on the supermarket shelves." |
| A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it maintained a "regular dialogue" with the industry. | A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it maintained a "regular dialogue" with the industry. |
| Morrisons said it was not seeking any further reductions in milk prices and would continue talks with the NFU. | Morrisons said it was not seeking any further reductions in milk prices and would continue talks with the NFU. |
| Aldi said its milk prices had "remained consistently above" the farm gate price and Lidl said it worked closely with farm assurance schemes which champion British farming. | Aldi said its milk prices had "remained consistently above" the farm gate price and Lidl said it worked closely with farm assurance schemes which champion British farming. |
| Arla said the co-operative was "acutely aware" of the difficulties farmers were facing. | Arla said the co-operative was "acutely aware" of the difficulties farmers were facing. |